The World's Funniest Joke

June 27, 2006
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Among the list of the top hoaxes of all time I've posted, the late British comedian Spike Milligan popped up in a funny sketch about Dutch elm disease affecting, of all things, redheaded people.

Evidently, the great comedian was also the creator of the "world's funniest joke," based on a recent Internet poll of 40,000 gags.

A British researcher polled some 100,000 people around the world over five years to find the best joke, about two hunters. The origin of the joke was murky, however, until the researcher watched a 2002 BBC program about Milligan's death that included a clip of the joke.

As with most jokes that are passed on from person to person, the locales are very different -- New Jersey versus England -- but the results are just as funny. Scroll down to the bottom of the link below to read the joke for yourself.

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services.

He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"